A Short History of Poker

Card games of various sorts have been around for many centuries. One of the first recorded games of cards that held a resemblance to modern poker was the German game of Pochspiel. Dating from the 15th century, this game incorporated hand ranking, betting, and the use of the “bluff.” The evolution of card games such as this to the game we know as poker really took off with its introduction to the New World.

Coming into the continent via the Mississippi River from New Orleans in the mid 1700′s, the focus of the game became more on the wagering aspect than just the play of the cards. By this time a standard 52 card deck was the primary playing tool for games such as stud or straight poker. There was a 20-card variation played along the lines of a British version.

The game of poker spread to the western part of the country during the California Gold Rush. It was out West that the card rank of the Flush first appeared in the game. The “Draw” also developed during this phase of poker’s evolution. During the War Between the States further variations emerged. 5-card stud was introduced and the hand rank of the “Straight” came into being.

By 1875 the concept of the “Wild Card” was included. By the turn of the 20th century further variations such as “Lowball” and the “Split-Pot” poker variations were established in the game. The mid 1920′s saw the first poker games that incorporated “Community” cards. As the century has progressed, new games of poker such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha poker have been born and raised to worldwide popularity. As ever, the prime focus is still in the excitement of the gamble.